Reading: Tour of Duty: John Kerry and the Vietnam War, Douglas Brinkley. This book just grabbed my eye at the library (I’m still on this war kick) and has subsequently given me interest in the Democratic bid for the presidency.

Laughing: While watching The Station Agent with Charity and Karen last night. Fantastic film. There were so many quotable moments that I wanted to remember — and can’t. I loved the relationships, especially the play of introvert vs. extrovert. Go see this movie.

Cringing: At auditions of American Idol wannabes… And at the judges responses to their terrible performances. Don’t let the cringing fool you. I love to watch.

Ignoring: The need to kick sweets out of my diet. I was doing sooo good about skipping desserts prior to my birthday at the start of December. Then it all went downhill… Three birthday cakes, Christmas cookies and snacks, and now I’m back in the wonderful world of sucrose. Need. To. Quit. Now.

Watching: “Friends” and “ER” quite faithfully. Reality shows are still my favorite, but unless I get Tivo power (that would be fantastic!) I won’t be watching them on a regular basis. It just gets pretty pathetic when you have to tell someone, “No. I can’t hang out on Tuesday because of (fill in the blank).” People are more important than television (repeat three times to self when craving American Idol, Survivor, other).

Feeling: Ready for spring! Ever since I got a Burpee seed catalog in the mail a few weeks ago I’ve been been itching to plant my garden. I also received a very very cool vase from my brother Adam and his girlfriend Kristin for Christmas which I am dying to fill with fresh flowers. Oh for warm weather and warm breezes, rocking on my front porch (when I get a new rocker that is), barbecuing dinner and taking evening walks…

Eating: Indian food from a jar. Open Harvest sells Pataki food products (I think that’s the correct name) that taste pretty good. Indian dishes made from fresh ingredients can’t be rivalled, but the stuff I ate last night was pretty yummy… and a heck of a lot cheaper than going to The Oven.

Drinking: Sleepytime tea. With a description like this (ripped from celestialseasonings.com), who wouldn’t? “Sleepytime Herb Tea, a comforting blend of chamomile and spearmint, creates a lullaby of tender flavor to soothe your senses. This 100% natural, gentle cup of hot tea lets you curl up under a quilt of flavor and quiet the tensions of your world. The part of your day shared with Sleepytime is like coming home to find a friend waiting for you by the fire. There’s no calm like the sigh from the spirit when you take this moment for rest and reflection … there’s no time like Sleepytime.”

Attempting: To find balance in my days. I’m learning that there are activities I have to do, activities I want to do, and activities I like to do but don’t have time for. Balancing all these “wants” and “shoulds” can be challenging. I suppose it’s all part of the Grand Experience we call Life.